ENTRANCE ANTIPHON (if no song): Give me justice, O God, and plead my cause against a nation that is faithless. From the deceitful and cunning rescue me, for you, O God, are my strength.

FIRST READING: Ezekiel 37:12-14

The Lord says this: I am now going to open your graves; I mean to raise you from your graves, my people, and lead you back to the soil of Israel. And you will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and raise you from your graves, my people. And I shall put my spirit in you, and you will live, and I shall resettle you on your own soil; and you will know that I, the Lord, have said and done this—it is the Lord who speaks. The Word of the Lord.

R: Thanks be to God

RESPONSORIAL PSALM: Ps 129.R.v.7 R/: With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption. 1. Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord, Lord, hear my voice! O Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleading. R/ 2. If you, O Lord, should mark our guilt, Lord, who would survive? But with you is found forgiveness: for this we revere you. R/ 3. My soul is waiting for the Lord, I count on his word. My soul is longing for the Lord more than watchman for daybreak. (Let the watchman count on daybreak and Israel on the Lord.) R/ 4. Because with the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption, Israel indeed he will redeem from all its iniquity. R/

QUEEN OF APOSTLES PARISH

RIVERTON (Under the Care of the Pallottines)

5th Sunday of Lent (Yr A) 29th March 2020

55 Tudor Avenue Riverton WA 6148 Tel: (08) 6188 6877 E: qoariverton@ozemail.com.au www.queenofapostleschurch.org.au PARISH PRIEST: Fr Paul Manickathan SAC Mob: 0408 410 029 E:frpaulmanickathan@ozemail.com.au Parish Office Secretaries: 6188 6877 Mon & Fri: Tricia Wisolith Wed: Lyna Ho Caretaker: Agnelo Monteiro 0478 060 325 Pastoral Worker: Sr Charla OSM—Ph 9354 5083 Apostlecare: Contact 6188 6877 Safeguarding Officers: Melissa Edmonds: qoasafe@gmail.com Mike Kavanagh: 0432 994 336 ROSSMOYNE St Vincent Pallotti Chapel 60 Fifth Avenue Rossmoyne WA 6148 House Director: Fr Ray Hevern SAC Tel: 0427 776 934 Queen of Apostles Primary School: Principal: Shaun O’Neill 9376 8500

Dear Parishioners, We all live in the midst of uncertainty. It is a time of trouble, time of trial, the reality of mortality faces all of us and the place to go is to the word of God. We have more questions than answers. How long this virus last? When will the vaccine come out? How long we will be locked down and social distancing? All questions but no answers. Our God is omniscient, simply meaning that where we have questions God has answers. What we don’t see, God has seen with clarity. What we don’t know, God knows infinitely. In a moment like this, I remind you to put your faith in God. Jesus says in Matthew 5:14 which is relevant in times we live. “You are the light for the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden” and he said let your light so shine that men and women may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven. We are the light of the world and darkness is less when light shines at its best. It is much easier for us on the ground to criticize our bishops. It is easier for us to be critics because we don’t have the responsibility of having to make a decision. I have heard so many people criticize what the bishops are saying that they are being coward-ly. But whatever they do, whatever the bishops decide, they have recommendations from others. What I want to say to you at this time is that first of all, I am grateful that I don’t have the responsibility of making such decisions because I don’t know what I would choose because it is not my life. As bishops, as leaders it’s not just your life, it’s not just this handful of people, it’s every soul in your diocese, you are having to make a decision. Yes, you might survive something like this, but what about if you made a de-cision that even cost the life of one person? That would be a hard responsibility to have and so may be safe than sorry. Secondly, pray for them, intercede on their behalf. What can I do in this kind of situation? What is my sphere of influence and maybe all I can do is to wash my hands and pray? Maybe I can reach out to that person and call and still keep that social distancing. Pay attention to our sphere of influence rather than living in this place of sphere of interest. I am praying for you and as you do for me and that’s a big deal. Please don’t give in to fear but to lean forward and move ahead. The church has traditionally played an important role during times of crisis. There’s whole range of pastoral concerns and challenges that people are facing right now. People who are disciples of Jesus should be extraordinarily motivated to care for those who are in need. We need to think how we can do that wisely and safely, but we really should be looking outwardly from ourselves instead of inwardly and trying to protect and hoard everything we can because there are really people in need. Many of us ask this question how can I live without Eucharist? On behalf you I do offer every day the Eucharist and pray the Liturgy of the Hours. When I do that, I am uniting my prayer with the prayer of the church. So, there is no need for fear, there’s no need for anxiety, there’s no need to a criticism. What we need is gratitude, we need to intercede as we can and pay attention to the sphere of influence not just our sphere of interest and we can always pray even if church doors are closed. We have the full access to the Father’s heart in Jesus Christ our Lord. Fr. Paul Manickathan

Tawonga is a 10-year-old girl, living with a disability. She lives in a village in northern Malawi in a region plagued by food insecurity and poverty. For most of her life, her parents have struggled to put meals on the table. Tawonga often had to miss school because she was too sick from hunger. The family also faced discrimination in their community due to her disability. Since participating in a Caritas Australia supported program, Tawonga’s life has transformed. Her family now grows enough food to provide three meals a day, ending the struggle of malnutrition, and helping her thrive at school. Please donate to Project Compassion 2020 to so this transformational program can continue to empower vulnerable women, men and children, and strengthen the communities around them. Let’s Go Further, Together. You can donate through Parish boxes and envelopes, by visiting www.caritas.org.au/projectcompassion or phoning 1800 024 413.

Fifth Sunday of Lent

PARISH PLANNED GIVING—As there is no Mass in the Church due to the current world wide Coronavirus pandemic, we encourage you (if it’s possible) to do a direct bank transfer of your weekly commitment: First Collection is for the upkeep of our parish clergy and the archdiocese and the Second Collection is the Planned Giving Commitment for the maintenance of the Church.

BANK DETAILS AS FOLLOWS: First Collection:

BSB: 066 164 A/C No 00900168 Acct Name: Catholic Presbytery Pallottine Fathers Account. Second Collection:

BSB: 086 006 A/C No 508191100 Acct Name: Riverton Church Account. Project Compassion Bank details: BSB 086 006 A/N 826198877 A/Name: Caritas Australia WA Project Compassion Reference- Riverton parish.

Please indicate your envelop number or name as reference so that we can record it

properly in the plan giving programme.

Fr. Paul is at the presbytery and so you can bring any donations mentioned above and also to St. Vincent de Paul Society and hand over to

him. Please make sure to seal the envelops.

Online Parish Mass on Sundays From this Sunday 29th March morning, you

can tap into our parish’s YouTube Channel for Mass celebrated by our Parish Priest. The Mass video will be available from Sunday

morning.

Online Mass with Fr Paul Manickathan PP: http://youtube.catholicyouthapostolate.com Or: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdE5H36f3aZhrLtTrjBLWXw/ Next live-streaming Mass with Archbishop Timothy Costelloe is on Sunday, 29th March at 11AM. Archdiocese Website – www.perthcatholic.org.au Archdiocese Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/perthcatholic/ The Record YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMFFqA8iYLlIVIb72LXMYFQ/live

—————————— For any form of assistance please contact

Chris Leon from Pastoral Council on 0428956339 or Sr. Charla our Pastoral

worker on 93545083. At the moment Holy Communion can be

taken to the sick, elderly and house-bound if you or your family members make the requests to one of your priests. This advise may change

if the government imposes new restrictions.

If you wish to receive Holy Communion, please contact: Fr. Paul Manickathan- 0408410029 Fr. Ray Hevern- 0427 776 934 Fr. John Flynn - 0439964890

There is more demand for assistance through St. Vincent de Paul

Society. Any food tins,

non–perishable food to distribute to the needy

of the parish can be dropped at the presbytery door since the

church is closed.

SECOND READING: Romans 8:8-11

People who are interested only in unspiritual things can never be pleasing to God. Your interests, however, are not in the unspiritual, but in the spiritual, since the Spirit of God has made his home in you. In fact, unless you possessed the Spirit of Christ you would not belong to him. Though your body may be dead it is because of sin, but if Christ is in you then your spirit is life itself because you have been justified; and if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, then he who raised Jesus from the dead will give life to your own mortal bodies through his Spirit living in you.

The Word of the Lord.

R: Thanks be to God GOSPEL ACCLAMATION: Glory and praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ! I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord; whoever believes in me will not die for ever. Glory and praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!

GOSPEL: John 11:3-7, 17, 20-27, 33-45 The sisters sent this message to Jesus, ‘Lord, the man you love is ill.’ On receiving the message, Jesus said, ‘This sickness will end not in death but in God’s glory, and through it the son of God will be glorified.’ Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, yet when he heard that Lazarus was ill he stayed where he was for two more days before saying to the disciples, ‘Let us go to Judea.’ On arriving, Jesus found that Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days already. When Martha heard that Jesus had come she went to meet him. Mary remained sitting in the house. Martha said to Jesus, ’If you had been here, my brother would not have died, but I know that, even now, whatever you ask of God, he will grant you.’ ’Your brother’ said Jesus to her ’will rise again.’ Martha said, ’I know he will rise again at the resurrection on the last day.’ Jesus said: ’I am the resurrection and the life. If anyone believes in me, even though he dies he will live, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this? ‘Yes, Lord,’ she said ’I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who was to come into this world’. Jesus said in great distress, with a sigh that came straight from the heart, ’Where have you put him?’ They said, ’Lord, come and see.’ Jesus wept; and the Jews said, ’See how much he loved him!’ But there were some who remarked, ’He opened the eyes of the blind man, could he not have prevented this man’s death?’ Still sighing, Jesus reached the tomb: it was a cave with a stone to close the opening. Jesus said, ’Take the stone away.’ Martha said to him ’Lord, by now he will smell; this is the fourth day.’ Jesus replied ’Have I not told you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?’ So they took away the stone. Then Jesus lifted up his eyes and said: ’Father, I thank you for hearing my prayer. I knew indeed that you always hear me. But I speak for the sake of all these who stand round me, so that they may believe it was you who sent me.’ When he had said this, he cried in a loud voice, ’Lazarus, here! Come out!’ The dead man came out, his feet and hands bound with bands of stuff and a cloth round his face. Jesus said to them, ’Unbind him, let him go free.’ Many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary and had seen what he did believed in him. The Gospel of the Lord. R: Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.

COMMUNION ANTIPHON (if no song): Everyone who lives and believes in me will not die for ever, says the Lord.

Reflections of St Vincent Pallotti

If You choose me for all the works of Your glory, … through the institution of that holy Society which respects, venerates, favours and assists the Catholic Apostolate … [it is not due to] any merit of mine, … [but because] You choose me as the most resplendent trophy of your mercy.

(OOCC,X, pp. 308; STA, 345)

Next Week: Passion Sunday: Isaiah 50:4-7,Ps 21:8-9,17-20,23-24.R.v.2, Philippians 2:6-11, Matthew 26:14-27:66 Excerpts from the English translation of the Roman Missal (c) 1973. ICEL, and the Lectionary for Mass (c) 1969, 1982, ICEL. All rights reserved.